FIGURE 3.

Systemic CO-rich saline pretreatment exerted rapid antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in mice. (A) Saline (0.3 ml, i.p.) or CO-rich saline (0.1, 0.3 ml, i.p.) was administered daily 30 min before each behavioral test. CO-rich saline (0.1 ml) treatment significantly increased time spent in the central zone (B) without effecting locomotion activity, demonstrated by the total distance traveled (C) in the OFT. CO-rich saline treatment significantly decreased latency to feeding (D) but not total food intake (E) in the NSF test. In the FST, floating time (F) was decreased by CO-rich saline but not latency to floating (G). The data are expressed as mean ± SEM and were analyzed with separate one-way ANOVAs. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, as compared to the saline-treated group; Sal, saline. OFT, open field test; NSF, novelty-suppressed feeding; FST, forced swimming test (n = 8–9 per group).